Functional film manufacturing method and functional film

Abstract

The present invention relates to a functional film and a method for manufacturing the same, the functional film being organically and inorganically laminated to have a desired function such as high gas barrier performance and having high adhesiveness between inorganic and organic layers. The organic layer on top of the inorganic layer contains an organic solvent; an organic compound formed of the organic layer; and a silane coupling agent with a concentration between 0.1 and 25 percentages by mass excluding the organic solvent, the organic layer uses a coating material not containing a pH controller, and the organic layer is formed through curing via a heating process after coating.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for manufacturing a functional film exhibiting gas barrier properties and having a support, and two or more organic layers and one or more inorganic layers alternately formed on the support, the method comprising:
 a step of forming an organic layer on the support or on the inorganic layer by a coating process and a step of forming an inorganic layer of a silicon compound by a vapor-phase deposition process, and upon formation of an organic layer overlying the inorganic layer, further comprising a step of exposing a surface of the inorganic layer to air prior to the formation of the organic layer, 
 wherein the organic layer overlying the inorganic layer is formed using a coating material containing an organic solvent, an organic compound for forming the organic layer, and a silane coupling agent in an amount of 0.1 to 25 wt % in terms of concentration in the coating material exclusive of the organic solvent and containing no pH adjuster by applying the coating material onto the surface of the inorganic layer, then subjecting the coating material on the inorganic layer to heating treatment at a higher temperature than an azeotropic point of by-products due to hydrolysis of the silane coupling agent and the organic solvent or at a higher temperature than a higher one of boiling points of the by-products and the organic solvent and drying the coating material on the inorganic layer, then curing the organic compound. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating treatment is performed by heating the support from a side on which the organic layer and the inorganic layer are formed and a side on which the organic layer and the inorganic layer are not formed. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating treatment and the drying of the coating material are performed simultaneously. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the coating material used for the formation of the organic layer overlying the inorganic layer contains as the organic compound an organic compound having a higher glass transition temperature than the azeotropic point or the higher one of the boiling points of the by-product and the organic solvent. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the coating material contains, as the organic compound for forming the organic layer, either or both of a trifunctional or higher (meth)acrylate monomer and a trifunctional or higher (meth)acrylate oligomer in an amount of 50 wt % or more in terms of the concentration in the coating material exclusive of the organic solvent. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the organic compound is cured by either or both of ultraviolet light irradiation and electron beam irradiation. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating treatment is performed by one or more of hot air heating, heating with a heating roller and heating with a heat exchanger plate. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the support is in strip form and is let out from a support roll having the support wound into a roll, application of the coating material to the support, the heating treatment and the drying of the coating material, and curing of the organic compound are performed as the let-out support is conveyed in its longitudinal direction, thereby forming an organic layer, and the support having the organic layer formed thereon is rewound into a roll.